A charity chairman who wrote himself a company cheque for over £2,000 has avoided jail.

Michael Williams, of Brigade Place, Caterham, was chairman of the Peppermint Healthy Living Centre in Franklin Way, Croydon.

The 38-year-old, who had been elected to the position last September, pleaded guilty to writing himself a cheque for £2,160 at an earlier hearing and told Croydon Magistrates Court he had done it because he needed money after receiving "threats on his family".

John Shepherd, prosecuting, said: "It was a voluntary position and he had a control to an extent of cheques.

"He would normally sign a cheque and it would be countersigned. On this occasion he wrote out a cheque to himself and paid it into his own bank account."

Addressing magistrates in a black suit and white shirt, father-of-two Williams said: "I was scared and frightened for my family and that was the final straw.

"I now know it was the wrong decision to make, but I had never been in the position before. I was under a lot of pressure after having threats on my family and that is why I did what I did.

"It has been a humbling experience, I have lost friends over this. I am ashamed of myself, I was in position of trust which I held for four years and I was very proud of that, but because of what happened I will never get it back. It will have a detrimental effect on my career."

The court heard the cheque, which the prosecution said may have been pre-signed by the counter signatory, was stopped and the charity - which runs a nursery school and offers a range of family support services - suffered no monetary lost.

Sentencing Williams magistrates said it was a serious matter because he was in a position of trust.

Williams was ordered to complete 60 hours of unpaid work in the next 12 months, and must attend 15 days of an education, training and employment course. He refused to comment as he left court.